Neiman Marcus Cookies

Whether it's true or not, there's a funny story behind these cookies. Well, funny for me, not the woman it happened to...  You can find it all over the internet, but to save a little time I just copied and pasted from Snopes.com. 

My daughter & I had just finished a salad at Neiman-Marcus Cafe in Dallas & decided to have a small dessert. Because our family are such cookie lovers, we decided to try the "Neiman-Marcus Cookie". It was so excellent that I asked if they would give me the recipe and they said with a small frown, "I'm afraid not." Well, I said, would you let me buy the recipe? With a cute smile, she said, "Yes." I asked how much, and she responded, "Two fifty." I said with approval, just add it to my tab. 

Thirty days later, I received my VISA statement from Neiman-Marcus and it was $285.00. I looked again and I remembered I had only spent $9.95 for two salads and about $20.00 for a scarf. As I glanced at the bottom of the statement, it said, "Cookie Recipe - $250.00." Boy, was I upset!! I called Neiman's Accounting Dept. and told them the waitress said it was "two fifty," and I did not realize she meant $250.00 for a cookie recipe. I asked them to take back the recipe and reduce my bill and they said they were sorry, but because all the recipes were this expensive so not just everyone could duplicate any of our bakery recipes....the bill would stand. I waited, thinking of how I could get even or even try and get any of my money back. 

I just said, "Okay, you folks got my $250.00 and now I'm going to have $250.00 worth of fun." I told her that I was going to see to it that every cookie lover will have a $250.00 cookie recipe from Neiman-Marcus for nothing. She replied, "I wish you wouldn't do this." I said, "I'm sorry but this is the only way I feel I could get even," and I will. So, here it is, and please pass it to someone else or run a few copies.... I paid for it; now you can have it for free.  

When mom and I make it we like to leave out the walnuts.  We aren't big nut fans.  This time, we even tried dipping them in chocolate.  My dad loved it!  

Neiman-Marcus Cookies

by Simple and Sweet Creations

6071083

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 12 ounces chocolate chips
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 ounces Hershey bar, grated
• 2 1/2 cups oatmeal, blended
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375° F.

In a mixing bowl cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Add eggs and vanilla.

Mix in flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Stir in chocolate chips, Hershey bar and nuts.

Roll into balls and bake 10 minutes.

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Valentine's Day Candy Card

Lets start the countdown…16 days till Valentine’s Day. 16 days till I sit at home, watch a romantic comedy, and eat way to much popcorn ice cream! Of course I have a date! Well, you see I actually have three. But I haven’t decided which one I’ll invite over this year. Me, Myself, or I….let me tell you it’s difficult.

When you’re your own date you kinda have to buy/make your own gifts too. I’m not the kind of girl that would want a dozen roses and little teddy bear. I mean if a guy ever did that I’d be grateful and happy because that’s just the kind of person I am, but I’d much rather go to Handel’s for ice cream. Here’s the secret: Ice cream makes everything better. Yes folks, if you can remember that little piece of advice you’re life will be golden. Anything goes wrong; you have a bad day, break up with a girl/boyfriend, it’s raining or snowing, it’s -16° outside, bad sports practice or game, just about anything…have a nice big bowl of ice cream. I guarantee you’ll feel better. To be quite honest you might as well just eat from the container. You’ll really feel good after that!

Back on topic, I decided to make myself a candy card this year. If someone gave me this as a gift I would probably marry them right there. Why? Let me explain. Chocolate, brilliance, humor…what more could you ask for? You gotta pounce on those ones! Even if the got the idea on the internet and it literally took 10 minutes to put together, I don’t care. They’re amazing.

So guys, here’s how you impress your lady. Go to the gas station, grocery store, dollar general, you get the point. Buy everything on the list of material below if you don’t already have it. On your drive home, swing by Handel’s and pick up a $5 dollar gift card. (to mail to me of course!) I guess if you have to you can skip that last step. Lay everything out on a table and copy the message below in pencil. (bold words are candy bars) If your happy with the spacing, which I know most guys could careless, trace over the pencil in sharpie. Erase any visible pencil lines and tape on your candy bars.

If your sweet(tart) doesn't fall head over heals just send the card my way! I’ll be more than happy to take it off your hands!

What You’ll Need

Mounds

Almond Joy

Whatchamacallit

Take 5

Hershey Kisses

100 Grand

Mr. Goodbar

Tootsie Roll

Reese’s Pieces

Sugar Daddy’s

Poster or other large paper

Pencil

Sharpie

Tape

The BEST Valentine's Day Card

This is for all those guys out there that dread Valentine's Day shopping. What should I get her?  What if she doesn't like it?  ...wait...I have to buy her something?!  Sound familiar?  Don't worry you've come to the right place.

Unless you have some spectacular idea, go with chocolate and something that will make her smile.  After typing that sentence I realized any "spectacular idea" from a guy is a little risky and should probably be avoided.  But hey, suit yourself!  Coming from a girl, you can't go wrong with chocolate!

Now I know guys like simple.  Quick, easy, straight to the point.  Here's what you need to do.  Go to the gas station/grocery store/dollar general/etc. and buy the candy bars.  (you'll find a list at the bottom) If you don't have a big piece of paper or something to attach them to already, pick up one of those also.  

Now lay everything out on your poster and copy the message below. (bolded words are candy bars)  I suggest writing in pencil first and then going over it in sharpie.  That way you're able to erase mistakes.  

Sweet Tart,

     I wish I could put into words the Mounds of Almond Joy you bring me.  Your Whatchamacallit sends me head over heels.  I'd Take 5 of your Kisses over 100 Grand any day!  All this talk is making me sound like a Mr. Goodbar, but Tootsie Roll, I love you to Pieces.  Happy Valentine's Day!

Love Your, 

Sugar Daddy

Finally, tape the candy bars in there place.  Now was it that painful?  Give this to your sweetheart and I guarantee she'll SNICKER!  

What You'll Need

Mounds

Almond Joy

Whatchamacallit

Take 5

Hershey Kisses

100 Grand

Mr. Goodbar

Tootsie Roll

Reese's Pieces

Sugar Daddy's

Poster or other large paper

Pencil

Sharpie

Tape

Buckeyes

After all the buckeyes we had to eat before the Canfield Fair I wasn't sure if my family would be ready for more by Christmas.  Oh, they were ready.  You're going to make us buckeyes, right?  There'll be enough left for us too, right?

Yes, yes there'll be plenty for you too!  They'll be plenty if you keep your little fingers out of the peanut butter filling!  The hardest part of cooking with my family is keeping them away from the dough.  A recipe may say it yields three dozen cookies, but leave the kitchen one minute and that same recipe only makes a dozen and a half.  Funny how those things happen.  

My sister is the worst when it comes to the buckeyes.  She'll be glued to my hip, licking the spatula, taking spoonfuls of peanut butter, and "sneaking" the rolled balls from the freezer.  Really, I don't notice the missing four or five balls on a sheet that was once full.  

You'd think I only make these once a year or something!  Some things have to be kept for special occasions.  Maybe if I put the recipe up they'll start making them themselves...

Buckeyes

by Simple and Sweet Creations

6071079

Ingredients

• 2 sticks margarine
• 11 ounces peanut butter
• 1 pound box confectionery sugar
• 1 1/2 pounds Hershey’s chocolate

Instructions

Mix margarine, peanut butter and confectionery sugar.

Roll into balls and freeze overnight.

Melt chocolate in melting pot.

Removing five balls from the freezer at a time, dip in chocolate using a toothpick.

Place in miniature paper cups and freeze until chocolate hardens.

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Secret Santa Gifts

Secret Santa shopping is either super easy or impossible.  Lets face it, there's no in-between.  Am I the only one, or does every year it seem like I get myself into more and more gift exchanges.  (yay!)  And every year I get stuck with the most difficult people!  (so not fair!)

This year was no different....  I got one easy person, one medium, and one hard.

Easy: my cousin Megan

Medium: my friend (sister) Sara

Hard: my friend Andrew

What do you get a guy for a Secret Santa gift?  It took me almost a week to think of the perfect present... You ready for the ultimate gift for your most difficult... (what are they called? ....gift recipient?)  You get the point...

A Candy Card!! Yes, I wrote my own candy card and I'm very proud of it.  I guess I'll let you copy it if you're in the same situation I was...Merry Christmas.  Here's what I wrote (candy bars are bolded) :)

Mr. Goodbar,

        I tried to come up with gift ideas and found myself in a Crunch.  After Black Friday shopping I didn't have 100 Grand and it wasn't PayDay.  I talked to Mounds of people and offered a Whatchamacallit for any ideas, but not even the 3 Musketeers were able to help.  Then, strolling down 5th Avenue, I had a Nutrageous idea.  What about a card that will make him Snicker!  So I'd like to Take 5 and wish you a Merry Twix-mas because your M-Azing friend couldn't think of anything better.

Your Secret Santa, 

Carmello

There's only one problem.  Mars quit making the "M-Azing" candy bar.  :(  I didn't know this before I wrote the card and really didn't want to change it.  So instead of an M-Azing bar, it's a Hershey's bar with a picture of the "M-Azing" wrapper taped to it.  Just paste this image into Word, change the size (1.06" height and 3.00" width) and print.  Clever right!  He'll get the idea...  

Here's what you'll need...

-Mr. Goodbar

-Crunch

-100 Grand

-PayDay

-Mounds

-Whatchamacallit

-3 Musketeers

-5th Avenue

- Reese's Nutrageous

-Snickers

-Take 5

-Twix

-Hershey's 

-Carmello

-printed "M-Azing" wrapper

-poster board or foam board

-packaging tape

-pencil

-sharpie or marker

Start by writing your message on the board in pencil.  I always write too small, so this step is a must, but if you feel you can do it in marker, by all means go ahead.  Trace over the pencil in sharpie once your spacing is okay.  Roll tape and tape each candy bar in it spot.  Sit back and admire your creation, because it's going to be the best gift this year!  (I guess you can take some credit...I won't tell you found the idea online!) :)

Banana Split Trail Mix

Every year the Arts and Crafts Department at our county fair hosts two special baking contests.  Last year on was a dish made with apples as the main ingredient and the other a unique popcorn flavor.  This year they challenged us once again to a contest called "Stuck Up" (any food on a stick) and "Hit the Trails" (trail mix).

The trail mix contest was a lot of fun.  I ended up making a really good banana split trail mix (if I may say so myself).  But my presentation wasn't over the top...so I didn't place.  :(  Trust me...I learned my lesson.  We made up for it in round two with these Buckeye Bars!

Everything I used can be found at Walmart.  If you want to use something fancier by all means please do...

I'll try not to make this too difficult...  Pour the ingredients into a bowl and mix.  

That's it!  Store in an air tight container!  Or maybe divide it among jars and give away as gifts.

Banana Split Trail Mix

by Simple and Sweet Creations

6071145

Ingredients

• 12 ounces dried pineapple chunks
• 1 cup banana chips
• 6 ounces strawberry yogurt covered raisins
• 8 ounces vanilla yogurt covered raisins
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup dried cherries

Instructions

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

Store in an air tight container.

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